“Little Bear Ridge Road”
TheaterWorks Hartford
TheaterWorks Hartford is currently presenting a beautiful production of Samuel D. Hunter’s play, “Little Bear Ridge Road.” Featuring a quartet of actors (with two in the main roles), this play is perfect for TheaterWorks Hartford to take on, considering the intimacy of their theater and the size of their stage.
Director Rob Ruggiero has done a splendid job with this show and “Little Bear Ridge Road” unfolds slowly and sensitively during its roughly hundred minutes, with no intermission. Made up of several short, but powerful and moving, scenes, “Little Bear Ridge Road” at TheaterWorks Hartford is the ideal play to see for a stimulating evening of theater.
“Little Bear Ridge Road” premiered on Broadway last season and this play really is a natural for regional theaters to produce. Happily, TheaterWorks Hartford has chosen it for their first production of the season and it is a pleasure. The two main roles are Sarah (the terrific Denise Cormier) and her nephew Ethan (the equally fine Mishka Yarovov).
Tragedy has brought the two relatives together and it is clear from their initial interactions that they are not close and that there is some long held resentment in their relationship. The simple, yet striking, scenic design of this show (by Michael Schweikardt) is of an old couch which exists in a void at the center of the stage, with lovely projections (courtesy of Camilla Tassi) illuminating the back wall of the set, helping to delineate the various locations that the play takes place in.
The glory of “Little Bear Ridge Road” is that it is so well written and the cast is so fabulous that a modest set is all that is needed for this play to work. Without giving away too much, Ethan has come to see his aunt Sarah because his father (and her brother) has recently passed away and there are numerous things to be done, including selling the father’s house. However, it is not very long until Ethan has more or less moved in with Sarah. Denise Cormier endows Sarah with a tough demeanor, though it is always apparent that she has a big heart, as well. Mishka Yaraovoy’s character Ethan is at a crossroads in his life and there is a definite desire for him to write, but he is somewhat stuck.
The fine Cormier and Yaraovoy work off each other excellently and one gradually sees their initial relationship to begin to evolve over time. Also in the cast is Ethan’s boyfriend James (the sweet and appealing Travis Anderson), who helps to add a different dynamic to the show. The scenes between Yaraovoy and Anderson are pretty adorable and one can’t help hoping that their connection will grow into something significant. The final member of the cast is the warm Janelle Anne Robinson, who enters the play right at the very conclusion and she gets to deliver the powerful final line, which is also illuminated in a projection.
This production of “Little Bear Ridge Road” employs a neat bit of staging, as the couch is cunningly pivoted in different directions to signify changes in locale. The lighting design by Matthew Richards is evocative and suits the play perfectly and the original music, composed by Billy Bivona, is almost hypnotic. The director is in full control of all of the elements onstage and he makes sure that everything amazingly falls into place.
This play almost sneaks up on an audience member until you realize just how drawn you are into this show. “Little Bear Ridge Road” has turbulent scenes, along with many comic moments, and it even has different times when the play can break your heart. So, even if you missed “Little Bear Ridge Road” during its run on Broadway (like I did), this production at TheaterWorks Hartford is sure to be satisfying and deeply emotional. Come explore the world of “Little Bear Ridge Road” for a myriad of feelings and also because it is a real honey of a show.
“Little Bear Ridge Road” runs through November 8, 2026, at TheaterWorks Hartford, 233 Pearl St., Hartford CT. For tickets and information, please call 860-527-7838 or visit twhartford.org.
Photo: Denise Cormier and Mishka Yarovoy
Photo by Curtis Brown
